Title race is set to go to the wire

The race for the Division One title in the Wellingborough & District Table Tennis League looks set to go to the wire.

Chesterwell A moved level on points with Westfield A at the summit thanks to 9-1 victory over Wanderers B.

Richard Adams prevented their fifth clean sweep when edging out Stan Galkowski in the fifth.

Bob Hickson, always one for a shock win, went down to Valdi Papiernik but with eight of the 10 sets going to a fourth end, Chesterwell always looked well in command.

Westfield B continued their climb up the table with a narrow 6-4 win at Wanderers A.

Jon Taylor-Burt failed to register and, in the process, gave Travis Holly a welcome win - his eighth of the season.

Andy Law did well to see off Richie Bailey but was denied a treble by Ethan Ali, losing out 11-8 in the fifth. Tony Wharton reversed the process, seeing off Ali in the fifth but going down in the last to Bailey.

In the match-deciding doubles, Bailey and Ali won out in three over Wharton and Law.

Jon Perkins gained his first top division treble for a number of seasons in St John A’s 8-2 success over Higham Harriers A.

WDHA Royals have all but wrapped up the Division Two title after they claimed a third 10-0 win in a row - their sixth whitewash of the season.

Wanderers D were the victims this time as Shivam Mistry, Mihir Mistry and Shyam Bavalia all recorded hat-tricks while the doubles in three ends.

Higham Harriers B swept aside Westfield C and completed a clean sweep with a doubles victory. Mick Malins, Martyn Reeves and Marta Honkova proved too strong for the opposition with Reeves and Honkova adding the doubles 11-2 in the fourth end to complete the job.

Wanderers C gained the upper hand against a depleted St John B whose points in a 7-3 defeat were earned by Steve Mansfield and Paul Lipczak defeating Carl Singh before they added the doubles over the previously unbeaten pairing of James Findlay and Tony Wallis 11-7 in the fourth end.

Wanderers E claimed a fine 6-4 victory at Old Grammarians B.

Star man was Derek Shears who scored his first hat-trick this season and was supported well by David May, who won twice.

For the home side, Colin Lord also had a brace of victories and had a hand in winning the doubles with Martin Rice 11-6 in the final end over May and Shears.

Carlton Ellwood continued his fine season with another hat-trick and, with Mark Ramsden echoing that feat, Westfield D proved too strong for Chesterwell C in an 8-2 victory.

Maxine Shears, Stuart Coles and Dave Long all scored a single victory for their respective teams while Ellwood and Long took the doubles 11-5 in the fifth over Shears and Coles.

It ended all square at 5-5 in the mid-table clash between Works Warriors and Higham Band A.

Stephen Woolston recorded another hat-trick, his 14th in 16 outings, for the hosts.

For the visitors, Nigel Magee and Pete Martin won twice and there was a single for Keith Stockley and Roger Fleming.

Woolston and Fleming added a comfortable doubles victory over Martin and Stockley to share the spoils.